Preschools in Los Angeles
13 preschools near Los Angeles, CA, including Montessori and other private programs. Compare approach, tuition, hours, and location — then save your shortlist.
Piper Preschool (Los Angeles)
1475 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035
A family-centered preschool blending the Reggio Emilia and Montessori approaches in a warm, home-like setting in the Pico-Robertson area.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 182 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 12/16/2024.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 195700317. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: "We blend the best of Reggio and Montessori with a warm, home-like environment, specifically designed to spark curiosity and inspire creativity." Piper distinguishes itself from daycare explicitly: "Preschool is school... staffed with professional teachers whose career path is directly connected to the experience of each child and family."
Extracurricular: Enrichment classes for all ages including yoga, music, messy art, gardening, dance, tinkering and science — held mornings for younger children and directly after school for enrolled children.
Ages served: Parent & Me and Enrichment classes from newborn to 24 months; drop-off preschool from 18 months through Pre-K/TK. Programmes listed as Baby/Toddler (0-24 months), Preschool (18 months-4 years), Pre-K/TK (4 years+).
Meals: Included — Snacks are provided throughout the day. Lunch is either brought from home or ordered from the school's hot lunch meal service.
Allergy policy: Nut-free — "As much as we love a good ol' PB & J, we just can't allow it. Other than being nut-free, all faculty are notified of all allergies throughout the school. For children with severe allergies, the campus Director will meet individually with the parent to ensure awareness and protocols."
Staff ratios: Child-to-teacher ratio "ranges from 5:1 to 8:1", excluding floaters who cover breaks.
Potty-training: Not required
Sick policy: "Fever? Stay home. Weird rash on their hands, feet, or mouth? Stay home... Coughs or new raspy voice?... Stay home. If they get sick at school, we'll call you immediately and require they be symptom free for 24 hours."
Methodist Preschool
1637 Butler Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90025
A Reggio-inspired preschool for ages 2–5 in West LA, with a play-based, child-led program.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 50 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 4/7/2025.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 197495570. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: Draws on "Reggio-Emilia, Maria Montessori, and Lev Vygotsky". A S.T.E.A.M programme "invites children to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and math through hands-on, play-based projects." A non-profit, opened 1965.
Extracurricular: S.T.E.A.M programme; Parent & Me classes; summer camp.
Ages served: Parent & Me 3-24 months; Blue Room 2-3 years; Green Room 3-4 years; Yellow Room 4-5 years / Developmental TK.
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
Westside Neighborhood School
5401 Beethoven St, Los Angeles, CA 90066
An independent school in the Del Rey / Playa Vista area, founded in 1980, whose early-childhood program emphasizes hands-on, developmentally based learning.
PLAY Preschool
2828 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
A play-based preschool in Silver Lake focused on learning through play, creativity, and exploration.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 162 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 10/24/2025.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 198019498, 198019499. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. Totals combine 2 licences at this site; the state can log one incident against each licence, so treat the counts as an upper bound. How to read this record →
Published tuition (from the school's own site)
- Infant - Lime Classroom (3-12 months) · Early Morning Drop off, 5 days, 7:30-8:00am (limited spaces) — $200/per month
- Infant - Lime Classroom (3-12 months) · 2 day, create your own schedule, 8:00am-6:00pm — $1,786/per month
- Infant - Lime Classroom (3-12 months) · 3 day, create your own schedule, 8:00am-6:00pm — $2,457/per month
- Infant - Lime Classroom (3-12 months) · 4 day, create your own schedule, 8:00am-6:00pm — $2,995/per month
- Infant - Lime Classroom (3-12 months) · 5 day program, 8:00am-6:00pm — $3,500/per month
- Infant - Lemon Classroom (13-24 months) · Early Morning Drop off, 5 days, 7:30-8:00am (limited spaces) — $200/per month
- Infant - Lemon Classroom (13-24 months) · 2 day, create your own schedule, 8:00am-6:00pm — $1,750/per month
- Infant - Lemon Classroom (13-24 months) · 3 day, create your own schedule, 8:00am-6:00pm — $2,210/per month
Fees: New family registration fee (non-refundable, due at enrollment) $750 · Yearly building/maintenance fee (non-refundable, due by 9/1) $750 · Recommendation letters and similar paperwork $50 · Declined account payment charge (per occurrence, in addition to late fees) $25 · Written request to delay tuition processing (limit 2 per school year) $25 per day · Late pickup after 6:00pm $2 per minute from 6:01pm, $10 minimum
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: Play-based, inspired by Best Practices in Early Childhood education. "Research shows that children learn best through play and so here at PLAY preschool we take a play based approach to learning" — scaffolded learning with open-ended questions, aimed at independence, communication and creativity. Parenting classes and bi-annual parent-teacher meetings are offered. A for-profit centre accepting children regardless of race, sex, creed or colour, enrolling year-round on a first-come, first-served basis.
Extracurricular: Show and Tell every Friday for the older classes; school-wide family events including potlucks and carnivals.
Ages served: Children from 3 months to 5 years of age. Lime classroom 3-12 months, Lemon 13-24 months, Preschool 2-5 years.
Hours: 7:30 am - 6:00 pm, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays. Regular preschool day ends at 12:30 (half day) or 4:30 (regular day); signing out later automatically adds a drop-in extended-care fee.
Calendar: Year-round
Meals: Not included — families provide food — Families pack meals — "think of it as meals, not lunch or snacks" — and staff will warm them. PLAY provides snacks twice a day for the preschool programme: AM snack between 9:30 and 10:00 am, PM snack at 4:40 pm. Infants are fed on cue; bottles must be labelled, breast milk dated, fresh milk stored one day and bottle contents discarded within two hours.
Allergy policy: Nut-free school — "We ask that everything is free of nuts due to allergies in the school." An anaphylactic allergy requires a paediatrician's note explaining EpiPen and medication administration; milder allergies require a medical release form with dose, frequency and times.
Teacher credentials: "All staff must have a minimum of 12 ECE units, however the majority of our staff have completed their bachelors or are working towards it." All lead teachers hold a bachelor's degree or several years of experience. Staff attend five annual development days. All staff are CPR and First Aid certified.
Potty-training: Not required
Discipline: Behaviour is handled developmentally rather than punitively: biting, hitting, pushing, kicking, pinching and scratching are treated as within the typical range at different stages, with frequency and intensity as the trigger for a closer look. Escalation is staged — the director contacts the family, a teacher may shadow the child, assessment tools are used over 1-2 weeks, findings are shared, and the family may be asked to contact the regional centre (0-3) or LAUSD (3+) for assessment or to provide a behaviour therapist. "In very rare cases, we may not be able to accommodate a child's needs. In that case, we will help you find an appropriate setting."
Sick policy: A child with fever, diarrhoea or vomiting must be symptom-free for at least 24 hours before returning, WITHOUT fever-reducing medication. A child on antibiotics may return with a doctor's note confirming when. A child with no fever who is inconsolable, unlike themselves, or off their food and sleep may be sent home; a runny nose plus seeming unwell may also mean going home unless teething or allergies are agreed to be the cause. The school reserves the right to ask for a doctor's note in any case. Medications require a Medical Release Form plus a written note from the paediatrician, in original packaging; no pain or fever reducers without a doctor's note. Lice: a school-wide check follows any report, and a child is excluded until all nits and lice are removed by a professional and a note is provided.
Withdrawal: Cancelling enrollment requires 30 days' written notice, during which schedule changes cannot be made. Schedule changes otherwise require written notice at least 30 days before the month the change takes effect, subject to availability and administration approval. Three late payments may result in termination of enrollment.
Dress code: Comfortable, practical, weather-appropriate clothing for messy indoor and outdoor play; clothing easy to put on and take off to support bathroom independence; all belongings labelled with first and last name. Shoes must fit and fasten with Velcro, buckles or laces — "Absolutely no flip-flops, heels or shoes that otherwise are not appropriate for play." The Lime infant classroom is a shoe-free environment. At least 2 complete changes of clothes (5 during potty training), plus sunscreen with a signed permission slip; sunscreen is not applied to infants under six months without a doctor's note.
Los Feliz Cooperative Nursery School
3401 Riverside Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
A parent-participation cooperative nursery school in Los Feliz, where families help run a play-based classroom.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 28 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 3 minor · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 4/7/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 191801926. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Published tuition (from the school's own site)
- Cooperative nursery · 2 days per week — $260/per month (2026-27)
- Cooperative nursery · 3 days per week — $355/per month (2026-27)
- Cooperative nursery · 4 days per week — $455/per month (2026-27)
- Cooperative nursery · 5 days per week — $525/per month (2026-27)
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: Parent cooperative nursery school — the first cooperative nursery school in the City of Los Angeles. Families participate directly in running the school.
Ages served: "Children 2.5-5 years of age are eligible to enroll."
Hours: School days 9:00am to 1:00pm.
Calendar: Academic year
Rose Scharlin Cooperative Nursery School
2414 Lake View Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039
One of Los Angeles’s oldest cooperative nursery schools, near Echo Park, run by participating families with a nature- and play-based approach.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 24 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 1 minor · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 9/4/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 191802033. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Silver Lake Center for Creativity
1108 N Commonwealth Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029
A play- and arts-based preschool in Silver Lake emphasizing creativity and hands-on exploration.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 30 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 9/24/2025.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 198021728. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Fees: Enrollment deposit (non-refundable, credited to first month of tuition) $500 · New student fee $500
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: Reggio Emilia-influenced but deliberately not doctrinaire: "We are not beholden to any one pedagogical framework. Rather, we seek evidence-based practices from several philosophies." Observation and documentation are named as the specifically Reggio element. A separate RIE Studio runs RIE-Certified parent-infant classes. The school describes itself as a "research-driven preschool committed to providing hands-on, collaborative learning experiences."
Extracurricular: Extended Day Enrichment including Somatic Movement, Storytelling Workshop, Construction Zone and Reflective Journaling Workshop.
Ages served: Ages 2.5 to 6 for the preschool; the RIE Studio serves parent-infant classes.
Hours: 8:30 - 4:45, Monday-Friday. The Regular Day ends at 2:30; Extended Day Enrichment runs to 4:45.
Meals: Not included — families provide food — Lunch is brought from home; 2 organic daily snacks are provided.
Allergy policy: Nut-sensitive.
Staff ratios: Teacher to student ratio 1:5, with 2 co-lead teachers during Regular Day programming plus an additional teacher.
Teacher credentials: A RIE-Certified mentor leads the parent-infant classes; no general staff credential requirement is published.
Potty-training: Not required
The Oaks Montessori Preschool
4817 Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041
A Montessori preschool in Eagle Rock (formerly American Montessori Preschool) with decades of history in the neighborhood.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 44 · 0 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 0 substantiated complaints · last inspected 6/2/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 198021692. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: Infant centre and Montessori preschool, "founded by a family of educators who were passionate about infant care and the Montessori preschool method."
Highland Park Montessori
115 S Ave 49, Los Angeles, CA 90042
A Montessori preschool in the Highland Park neighborhood of northeast Los Angeles.
Chandler’s Preschool
5443 Ash St, Los Angeles, CA 90042
A play-based preschool in Highland Park, established in 1998, housed in a renovated early-1900s building.
🛡️ State licensing record — Licensed · capacity 52 · 3 serious deficiencies (Type A) · 13 minor · 2 substantiated complaints · last inspected 4/21/2026.
CA Community Care Licensing · license 198021146. The state publishes counts and outcomes, not the allegation text — request the full report from CDSS with the control number. How to read this record →
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: "Play-based curriculum" introducing children to their "true empowered self", balancing "art, music, social/emotional learning, STEM, outdoor play, community relations, and yes, even reading and writing."
Extracurricular: STEM, music, art, outdoor play and community-relations activities are built into weekly lesson plans.
Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 5:30pm.
Palisades Montessori Center
10497 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
A Montessori center in the Westwood area of West LA serving preschool-age children.
Program details (from the school's own site)
Approach: "Creative Montessori program, which focuses on individualized social, emotional, academic, creative and physical growth."
Ages served: 2-6 years of age.
Hours: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
Potty-training: Not required
Blossom Montessori
5158 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042
A Montessori preschool in Los Angeles, CA.
Phoenix Global Green School
4901 Collis Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90032
A play-based preschool in Los Angeles, CA.
Preschool approaches in Los Angeles
The programs listed here include play-based, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, cooperative and progressive. New to the differences? Compare Montessori vs. play-based, read what children learn in preschool, or browse all our guides.
Montessori preschools in Los Angeles
4 of the programs listed above are Montessori preschools — child-led, mixed-age classrooms with hands-on materials and long, focused work periods. New to the method? Read what Montessori is, compare Montessori vs. play-based, and see how much Montessori costs.
How much does preschool cost in Los Angeles?
Preschool tuition in Los Angeles depends on the program, the schedule (half-day vs. full-day), and the approach — Montessori and full-day private programs usually cost more than part-time or co-op options. Where a school publishes pricing it's shown on its listing above; otherwise ask the school for a current quote. Our guide on how much preschool costs shows how to compare the real price, and how to afford preschool covers subsidies, TK, and Head Start that can lower it.
Guides for your preschool search
How to choose a preschoolQuestions to ask on a tourHow much does preschool cost?Preschool vs. daycare vs. pre-K
Preschools near Los Angeles
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Frequently asked questions
What preschool approaches are available in Los Angeles?
First Cubby lists play-based, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, cooperative and progressive programs in Los Angeles, among others. Each school's approach is shown on its listing.
How much is preschool tuition in Los Angeles?
Preschool tuition in Los Angeles varies widely by program, schedule (half- vs. full-day), and approach — Montessori and full-day private programs typically cost more. Pricing is shown on a listing where the school publishes it; otherwise contact the school. Our guide on how much preschool costs explains how to compare the real price, and how to afford preschool covers subsidies and free options.
Are there Montessori preschools in Los Angeles?
Yes — 4 Montessori programs are listed in Los Angeles above. Montessori classrooms are child-led and mixed-age with hands-on materials; see our guide on what Montessori is.
Are the preschools in Los Angeles private?
Most standalone preschools in Los Angeles are private (tuition-based). Free and lower-cost options can exist too — Transitional Kindergarten, state pre-K, and Head Start — which our guides on preschool cost and how to afford preschool explain.
How do I choose a preschool in Los Angeles?
Shortlist nearby schools, then tour your top choices. Our guides on how to choose a preschool and the questions to ask on a tour walk you through it step by step.
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